Poor starting

[Mark O]

Chaps

2008 T180 with smart start has aways started first time every time. Push button, wait a few seconds or so sometimes if cold, crank, then instant start. All fine until a couple of days ago when it began to crank over but no start. If this happens, I simply turn off, try again, and it fires up. However, it is a concern. I don't think it is the Battery as the cranking seems healthy. Anyone know any better - glow plugs perhaps? Solutions welcome.

Cheers

Mark    

[Heidfirst]

Obviously it has been colder of late so no doubt that may have been a contributory factor. How many miles on it & when last serviced?

[Mark O]

Oil change 1K ago, EGR cleaned @8K ago, always use the best Shell fuel, 90+K miles total. Even at minus 8 it started fine last week. 

[IanML]

Sometimes, it can be due to a low or tired Battery - the first attempts gets some current flowing, though not enough, but it warms the electrolyte, so the next attempt supports higher current, and it works.   You can verify this by switching on headlamps for (say) 20 sec before switching off and attempting to start.  if it starts first time, that will be the problem.

First thing to try is charging with a good charger e.g. this one.  I would try a "reconditioning" charge.

[Mark O]

Ian

Thanks for that - useful stuff. I am not completely ruling out the Battery, but I would say that on trying to start first time yesterday, the car had done 300 miles the day before - giving ample time for it to charge perhaps. Could it be that the Battery is simply not taking charge as it ought to? Employing a charger in these circumstances therefore may not be of much use.  

[alan333]

Check the glow plugs first.